NOL Card Types in Dubai
RTA issues five NOL card types and the right one depends on how long you are in Dubai and who you are. A Silver card at AED 25 suits most residents, a Red Ticket at AED 2 suits a short visit, and only the Blue card unlocks the half price student and senior fares.
The five NOL cards compared
Every card taps the same gates and pays from the same zone based fare table. What separates them is the upfront cost, how much credit comes loaded, the ceiling the card can hold and who qualifies for it. A Silver card and a Gold card cost the same AED 25, yet Gold doubles every metro and tram fare in return for the front cabin.
The Blue Personal card at AED 70 is the only one that carries your name, and that is what makes concessions and balance protection possible. The Red Ticket at AED 2 is paper, holds up to 10 trips and expires after 90 days.
Availability differs too. Silver, Gold and Red are sold over the counter at every metro ticket office from Union and BurJuman to Expo 2020, at the vending machines beside the gates, and at Carrefour, Zoom and other authorised shops around Dubai. The Blue card is the exception: it is applied for through the RTA website or the NOL Pay app with UAE Pass and delivered to you, free within two working days for KHDA verified students and within four for everyone else. A co branded Emaar NOL card exists for Downtown regulars, and the buying guide maps every sales point in Dubai.
| Card | Price | Credit included | Maximum balance | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | AED 25 | AED 19 | AED 1,000 | 5 years |
| Gold | AED 25 | AED 19 | AED 1,000 | 5 years |
| Blue (Personal) | AED 70 | AED 20 | AED 5,000 | 5 years |
| Red Ticket | AED 2 | none | 10 trips | 90 days |
| NOL Travel card | AED 100 | AED 19 | AED 1,000 | 5 years |
Based on RTA Choose nol and service pages 634 and 649.
What each NOL card type pays per trip
Silver and Blue share one rate. Gold doubles it on metro and tram but drops back to the standard rate on a bus. A Red Ticket costs more per journey than any stored value card, which is the trade for not paying a card fee. Students, seniors over 60 and Social Affairs beneficiaries pay half the Silver rate, and People of Determination travel free.
The gap compounds quickly. Four long trips on a Silver card cost AED 7.50 each; the same four on a Red Ticket cost AED 8.50 each. The fare calculator prices any route on every card at once.
Two rules stop the table from telling the whole story. On buses a Gold card quietly drops to the Silver rate, because the premium only exists where a Gold cabin does, on the metro and tram. And on every card the same journey can combine metro, tram and bus legs within 30 minutes per transfer, up to 3 transfers and 180 minutes, and still charge as one trip. That is why a Deira to Dubai Marina commute with a feeder bus at each end still costs AED 5 rather than three separate fares.
| Card | Within 1 zone | 2 adjacent zones | More than 2 zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver or Blue | AED 3 | AED 5 | AED 7.50 |
| Gold Class | AED 6 | AED 10 | AED 15 |
| Red Ticket | AED 4 | AED 6 | AED 8.50 |
| Concession 50% | AED 1.50 | AED 2.50 | AED 3.75 |
Based on RTA nol Fares.
Which NOL card type suits you
A resident commuting daily wants a Silver card, then registration so the balance is protected and a 30 day pass becomes possible. A visitor staying two or three days and making fewer than ten trips saves money on a Red Ticket, since there is no card fee to recover. Anyone eligible for a concession should apply for a Blue card on day one, because the half fare pays back the AED 70 within weeks of school or work travel.
A tourist who wants attraction discounts alongside travel can look at the AED 100 NOL Travel card, though RTA does not publish what the bundled offers are worth. The tourist guide works through the choice with real trip costs.
Geography can settle the choice as well. A resident along the Red Line in Al Barsha or Business Bay commuting to DIFC keeps most trips inside one or two zones, where pay per trip on Silver stays cheap. A daily run from Deira across the creek to Ibn Battuta or Expo City crosses three or more zones at AED 7.50 a time, and that is where a registered card carrying a 30 day pass starts winning.
Registration, limits and what changes
An anonymous Silver or Gold card holds up to AED 1,000 and can load only the 7 day travel pass. Register it for AED 30 and the ceiling rises to AED 5,000, longer passes become available, the balance survives a loss and trip history appears in your RTA account.
One person may hold up to 5 personal or registered cards but only 1 active concession card. Every card type works beyond transport too, at more than 2,000 retail outlets with a cap of AED 200 per purchase. Registration takes a few minutes in the NOL Pay app.
Whichever card you pick, the balance rules are shared: AED 7.50 minimum at a metro gate, top ups from AED 5 in the NOL Pay app, and the same 10 digit tag ID on the back for a balance check. Cards move between services freely, so the card you buy for the metro pays for the tram through Dubai Marina, the water bus on the creek and the paid parking meters along Sheikh Zayed Road.
The card type most people get wrong
Visitors routinely buy a Silver card for a two day trip and never recover the AED 6 card fee, while residents keep riding on a Red Ticket and pay AED 4 to AED 8.50 a journey when a Silver card would charge AED 3 to AED 7.50. The break point sits at roughly four to six journeys.
Gold is the other common mistake. It is not a better card, it is a different cabin at double the fare, and the premium comes off your balance even when the Gold cabin is full and you end up standing.
Keep reading
NOL Card Balance Check Online 2026: RTA Dubai
Check your NOL card balance with the 10 digit tag ID, then open the official RTA page. Minimum balance AED 7.50, every method, updated August 2026.
NOL Fare Calculator 2026: Dubai Metro, Bus, Tram
Work out any Dubai Metro, bus or tram fare by zone and card type: Silver AED 3 to 7.50, Gold double, Red Ticket, concessions. Updated August 2026.
NOL Card and Dubai Metro Questions and Answers
Straight answers on NOL balance checks, tag IDs, fares, zones, passes, refunds, lost cards, expiry and how our calculators are tested against RTA.
Frequently asked questions
How many types of NOL card are there?
RTA issues five: Silver, Gold, Blue Personal, the Red Ticket and the NOL Travel card. Silver and Gold cost AED 25, Blue is AED 70, the Red Ticket is AED 2 and the Travel card is AED 100.
Which NOL card is best for tourists?
For fewer than about six journeys the Red Ticket at AED 2 wins because there is no card fee. Beyond that a Silver card is cheaper per trip at AED 3 to AED 7.50 against AED 4 to AED 8.50.
What is the difference between a Silver and a Blue NOL card?
They pay identical fares. The Blue card carries your name, protects the balance if it is lost, holds up to AED 5,000 and is the only card that can carry a student, senior or Social Affairs concession.
Is a Gold NOL card worth double the fare?
Only if you value the front cabin. A two zone trip costs AED 10 instead of AED 5, and the premium is charged even when no Gold seat is free.
Can any NOL card take a monthly pass?
No. An anonymous Silver or Gold card can load the 7 day pass only. The 30, 90 and 365 day passes need a registered card or a Blue Personal card.
Can I use a NOL card outside transport?
Yes. All types work at over 2,000 retail outlets and at RTA parking meters, with a ceiling of AED 200 per retail transaction.